Joanna Kucharska (UJ), Magdalena Bednorz (UŚ)

Modern scholarly term referring to ‘Fin Amour’

Code of behaviour that gave rise to modern ideas of chivalrous romance

A knight of noble blood would adore and worship a woman from afar, seeking to protect her honour and win her favour by valorous deeds

The woman chastely or scornfully refuses him in public while encouraging the love in private

Associations of nobility (peasants cannot engage in ‘fine love’), secrecy, adultery and (paradoxically) with chastity, since the passion could never be consummated due to social circumstances – ‘higher love’, unsullied by selfish carnal desires

Fantasy influences

Arthuriana connections

Disassociation from adultery

Disassociation from chastity

Semblance of equality

Bioware games:

a) Continuous presence of romance storylines in Bioware games (focus of storytelling and promotion)

b) One of the most visible companies on Western cRPG scene over recent years

c) Allows for character customisation as male and female

Fantasy setting

Female character-oriented romances (clearest examples of trope, most popular in terms of engagement)

Present in almost all romances and in relationships with non-romanced companions

Romance-only quests

Anomen: Order of the Radiant Heart, father, sister’s death

Alistair: the entire game is his personal quest: regaining the birthright, sister, Redcliffe, Wardens

Cullen: Lyrium addiction, Samson storyline

In subsequent romances the quests become more personal but less character shaping

Gifts as a part of personalquest: Anomen, Alistair, Cullen

Dragon Age 2 – romanced characters change armors after romance is ‘consummated’

In case of Anders, change of attire is not related to the romance, but relies on completion of his personal storyline

Nobility: genre trappings (‘my lady’ address), player character can be of noble origin (necessary for ‘the happiest’ Alistair ending), PC comes or arrives at a position of political power

(Josephine – her nobility drives all of her personal quests and romance)

Humble knight origins (self-imposed for Sebastian), work their way trough the ranks of their respective orders

All are warrior or fighters classes

Moral code: neutral or good alignments

Willingness to follow your moral compass

But similar alignment necessary for romance path

Religious beliefs and connection: cleric, ex-Templars

Cullen praying: religion highlighted in a scene turning into a romantic one

Sebastian’s religion and chastity vows

Conversations about chastity (Cullen, Sebastian), virginity (Alistair) or purity (Anomen) – usually they have little or no experience

Breaking the trope by the possibility of the PC having significant sexual experience

Alistair and adultery: arranged marriages, mistresses (Warden, Leliana, Anora)

The game mechanics usually prevent adultery (as in multiple romances, if not subsequent)

Josephine and prevention of adultery accusations during her arranged engagement

Dueling: Landsmeet, Josephine

Arthuriana: Alistair/Morrigan

Secrecy: Anora, Josephine, Cassandra

Bastard prince/exiled prince: Alistair, Sebastian

Kidnapping/knight in distress: Anomen, DA2 love interests

Blackwall (antithesis)

Cassandra (meta)

Josephine (gender reversal or played straight)

Agency on the player’s side

Final decisions

Political agency, (Cousland’sproposal/proclamation), player character’s decisions shape characters

Cosmetic trappings of power relations: ‘my lady’ address, ballroom dancing, dialogue

Cullen has the most agency since he is not player controlled at any time –player character becomes an interloper in his storyline

Interposing the personal/domestic into the courtly love

Mods removing gates on romances

Parody

Arranged marriages alternate universes

Alistair/Cousland/lover AUs

Ser Gilmore mod

Royal wedding mod

Expanding the study towards non-fantasy games

Expanding the study towards non-Bioware games

Study of non-female player character-oriented romances

Expanding the study of players’ engagement within non-fandom communities

Deeper research of the relationship between the trope and video game mechanics

Joanna Kucharska, Uniwersytet Jagielloński (joanne.kucharska@gmail.com, @joannekucharska)

Magdalena Bednorz, Uniwersytet Śląski (magda.bednorz@gmail.com, @charismacheck)